The Choice
by Dragonball X Avalon
Summary: The Sequel to Unexpected! Clark, Tess and Alicia are in for a whole new set of challenges including a certain feisty brunette, heroes from the future and a threat that will force Clark to make the ultimate choice between the people he loves or the rest of the planet with the fate of the world hanging in the balance! T for now may go up to M!
1. Chapter 1

"Well I'm impressed you save someone from a burning building, stop an armed robbery and still manage not to get your outfit ruined." Clark said from behind Tess; they had decided to alternate morning patrols so that she could grow accustomed to her new powers although neither one of them could fly yet. Kara had said she would help them with that when time permitted but they hadn't had time with both of them being on patrol in addition to their jobs at the Planet.

"It just takes practice." She replied giving him a chaste kiss in greeting. He had spent the night with Alicia so she hadn't seen him since the previous afternoon.

"Speaking of which, your friend Lois could use some work on dealing with disappointment." Alicia muttered somewhat angrily as she appeared in Tess's office a grimace on her face.

"What did Lane do now?" Tess asked, thoroughly irritated with the brash reporter; the only reason she hadn't fired her yet was due to the fact that Chloe was her cousin and that she had never once wavered in her support of Clark's alter ego; although now she supposed it was actually both her and Clark's identity now since she had the same powers Clark did.

"Well should I start with the part where she cursed you both for hiring me and making me Clark's partner or the part where she called me a filthy bitch who should've stayed dead and away from her man?"

The last part caused both Clark and Tess to burst out laughing at Lois's stupidity but the laughter soon died away to be replaced by a look of rage and disappointment on Clark's face. He marched towards the door but Tess beat him there, blocking his way.

"Don't do this Clark."

"Give me one good reason not to." He replied irritation and anger ringing through his words.

"Because you owe her Clark; she stopped you from killing Tim and if you had you wouldn't have been able to live with his death on your hands." Alicia told her boyfriend and lover who continued to glare at the wall but acknowledged the truth in her statement.

"Besides Clark while I would quite enjoy seeing you put Lane in her place" Tess said with a smirk "I think it will be much more appropriate if I do it myself."

"What are you going to do Tess?" Alicia asked and the glint in Tess's eyes had both Alicia and Clark feeling extremely grateful that they weren't in Lois Lane's shoes.

"You'll see."

Lois Lane was not in a very good mood this morning. Not only had she discovered that Alicia Baker, the bitch who had tried to kill Lana Lang twice and also ensnared Clark was alive she was also working at the Planet, and as of seven thirty this morning was taking Lois's place as Clark's partner. If things weren't bad enough Alicia had apparently complained to Tess Mercer which is what resulted in her heading towards the editor's office. She wasn't surprised to see Alicia in the office but she was surprised to find Clark Kent present and judging by the way his arms were folded across his chest he was none too pleased.

"Smallville what the-"

"Miss Lane come in and shut the door." Tess told her, her voice stern and uncompromising.

"Don't bother sitting down this won't take long. Who I choose to hire and who I choose to partner them with is my business. Be grateful you weren't demoted considering you're one of the most inconsistent reporter's I've ever come across. The only reason you are still here is because of who your cousin is and if you so much as glare at Miss Baker or say one thing out of line you're fired and we both know that if that happens not even the Inquisitor will hire you. Now get to work I want your article on my desk by noon today."

Lois just stood there dumbstruck for a minute before turning on her heel and marching out of the office, looking thoroughly embarrassed.

"Careful Clark, your eyes are burning." Alicia said with a chuckle and Clark blinked as his eyes returned to their normal blue.

"Sorry, you're just really attractive when you take charge like that." He muttered giving his redheaded girlfriend a kiss before repeating the process with Alicia who was sending him a mock glare.

"Damn, there's a bank heist in progress downtown."

"Go to work." Tess told him and he kissed her again before taking off while Alicia disappeared in a green haze; Tess could've handled the situation herself but it wouldn't do well for the CEO of Luthorcorp and editor of the Daily Planet to be seen near a crime scene so she let Clark handle it.

However by the time Clark got there all he found were unconscious guards and a crowd surrounding a costumed man. Alicia walked up beside him and they headed over to the costumed man.

"I'm Clark Kent, this is Alicia Baker we're from the Daily Planet. Metropolis would like to know just who you are."

"The name's Gold, Booster Gold hero of the 23rd century!"

**A/N: At long last the sequel to Unexpected! Please review and the chapter will be up hopefully no later than a week!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Is it me or did something seem off about that bank heist?" Alicia asked as she and Clark walked away from the scene of the crime after taking a few more statements from bystanders. Everyone they had talked to was saying that this Booster Gold had just appeared out of nowhere and stopped the robbers in mere seconds, although no one was quite sure how he had done it.

"Sure you're not just jealous that we didn't get to be the heroes?" Clark asked with a grin. The eighteen year-old teleporter rolled her eyes in response to her boyfriend's question before grabbing his hand and transporting the two back to the Daily Planet bullpen. Despite his words, Clark couldn't help but wonder if maybe Alicia was right; after all, how many people could stop a robbery in progress before he got there? The answer was one and as Bart was off doing something for Oliver that ruled him out, so Clark couldn't help but wonder if there was more to that foiled bank heist than he had first thought. However he decided to give the new hero the benefit of the doubt, at least for the time being.

All thoughts of Booster Gold left the Kryptonian's mind as he heard the voice that could give even Kryptonian's a headache.

"Who does she think she is?"

Lois Lane had struck again.

"Anything on our new friend Booster Chloe?" Clark asked, appearing beside Tess and Alicia who had gotten there five minutes earlier. Clark had stayed to finish the article on Booster Gold, which only took him three minutes but then he had ran to France and brought back coffee for the three at Watchtower.

Smiling in thanks as she took the offered coffee from her best friend, Chloe took an appreciative sip before she answered.

"Aside from the fact that he seems to be almost as fast as you when it comes to stopping crimes, not a thing."

"Four bank heists, two fires, an earthquake and a cat stuck in a tree." Alicia said, as she read off what was on the monitor

"And all in the span of twenty minutes." Tess continued.

"Which begs the question just who the hell is this guy?"

However, Clark's question proved to be one without any answers; Booster didn't reveal anything after the first save, instead seeming content to allow the media to do the talking for him. Every reporter in Metropolis was asking whether the blur's fifteen minutes of fame were over and regardless of the saves he and Tess made, it appeared as if Clark Kent's as of yet unfulfilled destiny as Earth's greatest hero would remain just that.

"Arrogant, self-absorbed showoff." Clark muttered as he cut the television off, eliciting a laugh from his mother; she had returned to the farm since there was a month until Congress reconvened, and had been surprised to say the least when she found out that Alicia was alive and well. However she had accepted her and Tess's unique relationship with Clark after seeing how happy they all were together. She did ask that they not make her a grandmother anytime soon though which caused them all to laugh.

"Clark you can't expect people not to want to support Booster Gold because for all the good you do, you stay in the shadows. No one really sees you." Alicia said as she appeared in the room in her typical fashion. Clark smiled and kissed her before a small frown appeared on his face.

"Maybe it is time I step out of the shadows. Before I do though I intend to find out just who Booster Gold is. If he's a hero the league could always use more members."

"I'm glad to see you're thinking about putting on the cape Kal, but you're wrong about Booster Gold. He's no hero; in fact he's a criminal."

Clark whirled and found himself looking at three people about his age; one was a red-haired boy, one boy had black hair while the third person was a blonde, but it was the red-haired boy who had spoken.

"Who are you and how do you know that name?" Clark asked, his voice low and threatening while his eyes burned red. Tess had arrived just as the boy finished speaking and she immediately adopted a stance similar to her boyfriend's while Alicia had her hand on Maratha's arm ready to teleport her out at a moment's notice.

The blonde laughed before she spoke, her laugh almost sounding like music to Clark's ears.

"I'm Irma and this is Rokk and Garth. As for how we know your name Kal-El... We're from the thirty-first century."

**There you have it! Chapter 2 of The Choice and since it's been so long since I updated this story I am giving you a choice. Actually I'm giving you four choices. The story can stay with the pairing it is at now or it can be a Clark/Tess/Alicia/Irma, a Clark/Tess/Alicia/Irma/Zatanna or I can hurt Oliver and make it a Clark/Tess/Alicia/Irma/Zatanna/Kara. Please put your choice in a review and I will write the story according to whichever choice wins when I write the next chapter.**


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